Factors influencing college students' attitudes toward victims of rape

• Main Author: Gilbertson, Ann Elise
• Format: Dissertation
• Language: English
• Published: ProQuest Dissertations & Theses 01-01-1992
• Subjects: Clinical psychology; Criminology; Psychotherapy
• ISBN: 9798662551220

Previous research has suggested a possible relationship between college students' personal experiences with sexual assault, sex-role attributes, attitudes toward women in general, and attitudes toward rape victims. This study examined relationships between these areas in male and female college students by using the Extended Personality Attributes Questionnaire, the Attitudes toward Women Scale, the Attitudes toward Rape Victims Scale, and an experiences scale designed for this study. Responses given by students with differing degrees of experience with sexual assault (either as perpetrators or victims) were compared. Predicted sex differences were found. Males reported higher levels of both positive and negative masculinity, lower levels of both positive and negative femininity, more traditional attitudes toward women, and more unfavorable attitudes toward rape victims than did females. Males who reported having forced sex showed more conservative attitudes toward women and less favorable attitudes toward victims than did other males. Relationships between personality and attitudinal variables also were examined. For males with little or no experience as perpetrators, liberal attitudes toward women were correlated with higher levels of positive femininity and lower levels of negative masculinity. A more favorable attitude toward victims also was shown to have some association with higher levels of positive masculinity and lower levels of negative masculinity for males with mild sexually aggressive experiences.